I first discovered podcasts, like most of the world, with Serial<\/a> in 2014. I remember listening to each new episode on the subway the morning it was released, and then eagerly discussing the implications with my coworkers as soon as I got into the office. After the hullabaloo over Serial subsided, a coworker recommended Reply All<\/a> and Startup<\/a>, and I devoured both.<\/p>\n A couple of years later, another coworker went to work at fledging podcast startup Gimlet Media\u2014none other than the company whose founding was detailed in the first season of Startup. Long story short: I ended up getting hired as a salesperson for Gimlet in the fall of 2016. It was surreal to come out of the subway one day and have a voicemail from Matt Lieber in my inbox after hearing him on Startup years before.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That\u2019s a long intro to say: I spent seven years selling ads for podcasts, and along the way, listened to a lot of podcasts. My preference is generally for more highly produced and edited narrative podcasts (aka you won\u2019t find many chat shows on this list), but my interests fall into a wide spectrum. I prefer to listen at 1.8x speeds (which helps me squeeze a lot more listening in!), and I tend to listen whenever I\u2019m doing something else\u2014driving, cooking, cleaning up around the house.\u00a0Most of these recommendations are biased toward longer-running and regularly-publishing series, but I do love a binge release. Alas: my most recommended podcasts are below, and feel free to drop any of your favorites for me to check out in the comments! <\/p>\n Criminal<\/a> offers some of the most original and interesting takes on stories of true crime. A few of my favorite episodes:\u00a0The Kit<\/a>, Masterpiece<\/a>, Crazy Eddie<\/a>. <\/p>\n Crimetown<\/a> is a sprawling and detailed look at the pernicious corruption of politics in Providence, Rhode Island. Start with episode one, season one<\/a>. (Season two covers a similar and yet wholly unique winding tale of corruption in Detroit.)\u00a0<\/p>\n Heavyweight<\/a> is probably my all-time favorite podcast. It\u2019s hard to describe the premise, but somehow host Jonathan Goldstein manages to tell the most heartwarming stories while delivering brilliant one-liners and solving decades-old mysteries all at once. A few of my favorite episodes, although I generally recommending starting at episode 10 and going up from there (with maybe a stop at #2 Gregor<\/a>, but I generally think the show really found its stride in season 2): #16 Rob<\/a>, #24 Jimmy & Mark<\/a>, #30 The Marshes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Normal Gossip<\/a> is made up of these delightful this-crazy-thing-happened-to-a-friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend episodes, the sort of thing that might immediately make you perk up your ears when you\u2019re out to coffee or dinner and a friend mentions she has a WILD story to tell you. A personal favorite for when I am bopping around cleaning the house on a Saturday morning. A good episode to start with is \u2018Til Deb Do Us Part<\/a> or Rich Mom Razzle Dazzle<\/a>.<\/p>\n Similarly, You\u2019re Wrong About<\/a> will take a pop culture name or history topic that you haven\u2019t heard about in years and thoughtfully dissect and disrupt everything you thought you knew about it. A few favorite episodes:\u00a0Fleetwood Mac\u2019s Rumours<\/a>, The Donner Party<\/a>, The Stanford Prison Experiment<\/a>, Human Trafficking<\/a>. <\/p>\n How I Built This<\/a> is the OG of this genre, and for good reason: I love learning more about the origins of my favorite companies (as do millions of others). Spanx is one of my all-time favorite episodes<\/a> with an incredibly persistent and inspiring female founder, but I recently deeply enjoyed the conversation with the two mom founders of Primary<\/a>\u2014which is one of our go-to places to shop for Jojo.\u00a0<\/p>\n Second Life<\/a> focuses on female founders who became entrepreneurs after having a career in a different field. I especially loved learning about the story of Sugarfina<\/a>!<\/p>\n The Pitch<\/a> is where real companies pitch real investors for real money. I\u2019m not that deep in the world of venture capitalism, but I love learning more about the companies that are being founded right now and I also enjoy the voyeurism of the \u201cwill they or won\u2019t they\u201d get any money. A couple of my favorite recent episodes:\u00a0ECGO: Turning Trash into Treasure with AI<\/a> and Bevz: A Tech Bro Walks into a Corner Store<\/a>.<\/p>\n A bonus option here: the first season of Startup<\/a> still holds up, IMO!\u00a0<\/p>\n Freeways and noise pollution and smog, listen to Freeway Exit<\/a>. (It\u2019s based in San Diego, so an especially local element for any fellow San Diegans!)\u00a0<\/p>\n Bureaucracy and infrastructure and how anything gets done (or doesn\u2019t get done) in this country, try The Big Dig<\/a>. (Especially relevant to those who grew up in the Boston area!)\u00a0<\/p>\n The state of the American education system, specifically children\u2019s literacy, try not to pull your hair out listening to Sold A Story<\/a>. It has made me *fully* committed to phonics in our household (and very grateful for that cassette tape set of Hooked on Phonics that I had growing up!).\u00a0<\/p>\n The state of our prison system, check out Ear Hustle<\/a> (although I suppose this enrages me less and mostly just makes me much more aware of the inequities in our justice system as well as the ways that justice is very much not served). <\/p>\n Where Should We Begin with Esther Perel<\/a> is a chance to be a fly on the wall for couples counseling. It generally makes me feel better about the state of my own relationship (people out there are dealing with a lot!), but it also often gives great insight and advice on how to tackle certain difficult conversations or how to reframe a problem in your own personal life.<\/p>\n Nurture vs Nurture with Dr. Wendy Mogel<\/a> is a similar conceit, but for parents counseling. Although not all of the parenting issues are relevant for me (yet), it\u2019s interesting to hear how different families approach raising children and dealing with concerns.\u00a0<\/p>\n Although Reply All<\/a> isn\u2019t publishing new episodes anymore, the archive is still a gem of internet-related queries. My personal favorites:\u00a030-50 Feral Hogs<\/a>, Dark Pattern<\/a> (RELEVANT FOR TAX SEASON), Long Distance<\/a> (probably my most recommended podcast episode ever), On The Inside<\/a>. <\/p>\n Search Engine<\/a> is former Reply All host PJ Vogt\u2019s new personal project, and although I think it\u2019s missing the full magic of the Alex-PJ dynamic, I have been interested in the questions that he\u2019s been exploring such as why are there so many chicken bones on the street<\/a> (a question that vexed me with a young hungry pug living in Bed-Stuy) and why can\u2019t we just turn the empty offices into apartments<\/a>. <\/p>\n Longform<\/a> is exactly what it sounds like: long conversations with writers, generally those who write longform articles and deeply reported non-fiction books although there are occasionally some novelists thrown in there. As someone who loves to read (and who is generally daydreaming about how to write more), it\u2019s always interesting to learn more about the process behind some of these incredibly detailed and thoughtful pieces.<\/p>\n I thought Finding Raffi<\/a> was such an insightful look at this children\u2019s music legend. He has led such an interesting life, and I learned so much about his environmental activism in the 1990\u2019s. I grew up listening to a lot of Raffi on cassette tapes, and after this listening to this series, I\u2019m A-OK with Raffia being the main source of music for Jojo as she grows up as well. (Side note: he is coming to San Diego for a live concert this month and I am SO tempted to go, even though I think Jojo is a little too young to truly enjoy it!)\u00a0<\/p>\n Death, Sex and Money<\/a> is a classic. Host Anna Sale is sensitive and inquisitive, and interviews often go places (i.e. about death, sex or money) that most other shows won\u2019t go.\u00a0<\/p>\n Plain English with Derek Thompson<\/a> is my favorite for thoughtful commentary on the news of the day. A few favorite episodes to start with:\u00a0why the US media industry is in meltdown<\/a>, why it\u2019s so hard to buy a house right now<\/a>, what\u2019s so great about marriage?<\/a><\/p>\n What else should I be listening to?!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cestchristine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/28DCE52C-31AD-4161-B6CB-A2F6BBA03AF4.jpg?resize=700%2C933&ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nIf you like true crime but aren\u2019t into the gore:\u00a0<\/h2>\n
If you want to laugh and cry in the same 30 minutes:\u00a0<\/h2>\n
If you want to just listen in on a low-stakes gossip story that doesn\u2019t involve anyone you know:\u00a0<\/h2>\n
If you want to quit your job to do your own thing (or if you want to just live vicariously through other people making the leap):\u00a0<\/h2>\n
If you would like to be enraged about:<\/h2>\n
If you want to improve your relationships by learning lessons through other people\u2019s problems:\u00a0<\/h2>\n
If you would like self-contained episodes that answer some sort of question, often related to technology:\u00a0<\/h2>\n
If you want to know the BTS of all of your favorite writers (or be inspired to read something new):\u00a0<\/h2>\n
If you are currently singing Baby Beluga on repeat in your house, as I am:<\/h2>\n
If you would like thoughtful conversations on topics that aren\u2019t often discussed:<\/h2>\n
If you already listen to The Daily:<\/h2>\n